Comparison: Best DJ Headphones

A headphone comprises the quality of control of the DJ and the better the headphones, the more powerful the party will go on. A DJ headphone should offer great sound quality along with a solid build quality, as we all know that DJs go through a lot of rough and tough situations. In this article, we will be reviewing some of the best DJ headphones you can consider buying in 2019.

Beats by Dr. Dre is a brand which is both praised and criticized hugely. Their products seem to be a bit expensive for the features and quality, which is why they are widely criticized, however, Beats Studio3 Wireless is a great exception. This headphone has done a lot in order to clear the name of Beats and currently lies beneath the Beats Pro in terms of price and quality. The design of the headphones is fairly simple and it is available in a lot of colors to choose from. The ear pads of the headphone feel very premium, although the plastic construction of the headphone feels quite cheap. The headphone features wireless connectivity and provides additional support for Apple devices due to Apple W1 chip. The battery of these headphones can last up to 22 hours with active noise cancellation and up to 40 hours without ANC.

This headphone greatly emphasizes on the lows and that is why it loses clarity in the vocals. The highs also seem to be underwhelming but not to the extent of disliking. The active noise cancellation plays a great role in diminishing the external noise, although it will reduce the battery timing to half. The ANC is surely a premium feature but judging by the sound quality of this product, the price seems a bit high for what is being provided.

Overall, Beats Studio3 Wireless is one of the best wireless DJ headphones you can consider to buy, although it compromises on vocal clarity by strongly focusing on the bass.

V-MODA Crossfade LP2 Vocal Limited Edition is one of most popular DJ headphones and features extremely solid construction, as the manufacturer uses military-grade materials. The cable of the headphone is also very strong and is Kevlar-braided to ensure top-notch quality. There is a gunmetal shield in the packaging which can be used to replace the existing shield on the sides of the headphone. Both the headband padding and the ear cups are much softer than most of the headphones mentioned here.

The sound of these headphones is nothing short of quality. The lows of the headphones are very deep and offer intense bass while the highs seem very clear too. The mid-tones are a bit recessed and the low-mid frequencies seem muddled due to the brightened lows. This particular sound signature is great for vocals which makes these headphones very special.

Overall, these are one of the best professional DJ headphones and you should definitely consider these if you want to hear lifelike vocals.

Beyerdynamic is one of the most astounding companies in the headphone industry and has released a lot of high-end products. Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro is a mid to high-end headphone, which provides a lot of competition to the similarly priced products. The headband and the ear cups offer very comfortable experience, as the headband uses thick soft padding while the ear pads are also made of very soft material. The impedance of these headphones is very high at 250 ohms, however, you can also buy the lower-impedance model which has an impedance of 80 Ohms.

The sound quality of this headphone is one of the best among this list, with rich detail and texture, as expected from an open-back headphone. The sound signature of this headphone is a bit typical and focuses majorly on the lows and highs while the mid-tones are rather flat. One of the most prominent features of this headphone is its soundstage which is definitely much wider than any of the other headphones mentioned in this list. An important thing about this headphone is that the open-back design results in poor noise isolation and you might not have a very good time working in a party with huge sound setups, although the volume levels of this headphone are quite good.

Overall, this headphone is one of the best headphones under 200 bucks and you cannot get a better open-back headphone for Dj’ing at this price.

Audio-Technica is a company which makes quality products at very competitive prices and their products are famous worldwide. ATH-M50x is the company’s one of the most popular headphones due to its pricing and ability to handle a lot of workloads. These are closed-back headphones and also, they can be folded for easy portability. The clamping force feels a bit strong according to the tastes of most people, which is why its comfort levels are not as good as other headphones mentioned here.

The sound quality of these headphones is quite good and they provide a very revealing sound signature, which is why these headphones are great for studio purposes as well. The bass is the most prominent aspect of these headphones but it is not bloated by any means.

Thanks to the quality sound, these headphones will serve you greatly if you ever choose to consider them for DJ’ing, although they might not be the best in terms of comfort.

Pioneer HDJ-1000 was the company’s previous popular model for DJs and Pioneer has recently released HDJ-1500-N, which completely replaces the previous model in terms of sound quality and features. The physical design of the headphone is very pleasant and attractive due to the golden theme. The memory foam ear pads along with leather feel just awesome and usually, they come with very high-end products. The hinges and the headband are made out of plastic which does not feel strong enough and is quite prone to wear and tear after using for a few months.

The sound quality of these headphones is really impressive and the headphone offers vibrant bass along with very accurate mid-tones and sharp highs. The volume levels of these headphones are also very high, more than most of the other headphones mentioned here.

Overall, these are great DJ headsets and provide very clear and loud sound and should be among your top choices if your budget is less than 200 bucks, although make sure to use them with a lot of care.

Shure SRH750DJ is one of the company’s dedicated headset for DJs and therefore provides great support for DJs. The physical design of the headphone is mediocre and not very good looking but the 90-degree swivel of ear cups ensure a great experience. The ear pads of the headphone are very dense and reduce the external sounds remarkably. Moreover, they are removable and can be replaced easily if you find them in a not so good condition after using the headphone for a few months. The construction of this headphone, just like the Pioneer HDJ-1500-N, feels cheap and “reeks” of plastic.

The sound clarity of these headphones is a bit better than that of the Pioneer headphones but the content of the bass is not as much. With that said, the noise isolation greatly aids in this matter, thanks to the dense ear pads.

Overall, this DJ headset is a great alternative to the Pioneer HDJ-1500-N and can be considered instead if you prefer clarity over the bass.

Sennheiser HD 25 is one of the lightest headphones we have seen and that is why it is none short of comfort. The headphone’s design is very minimal, with a thin headband and small ear cups. Speaking of ear cups, HD 25 uses an on-ear design, which is usually not considered by many people due to discomfort but the lightness of these headphones provides enough comfort.

The sound of HD 25 is focused towards lows and highs majorly and the mid-tones are a bit recessed. The sound signature feels quite revealing and the headphone sounds very clear, which leads to great mixing capabilities for DJs.

Overall, if you want a light-weight headphone with an on-ear design, you might not find a better headphone for DJing than the HD 25.

Sony MDR7506 is one of the most popular DJ headphones ever existed and its low price point makes it a very attractive product for budget users. The headband and the ear pads of the headphones are extremely comfortable, especially the ear pads are super soft. These headphones provide the longest cable among the whole bunch with a massive 9.8 feet length. The headphones can be folded up pretty nicely too, although the overall look of the headphones is really unpleasant.

The sound signature of these headphones is quite transparent, with flat response for lows and mids while the highs are slightly recessed. The noise isolation of these headphones is also quite good and greatly suppresses the external sounds.

Overall, these are one of the cheapest DJ headphones you can get your hands on, with a balanced sound performance, although do not expect the sound quality of a high-end audiophile-grade headphone.

Sennheiser HD280 Pro is another great DJ headphone which is priced very moderately. The overall design of the headphone looks quite satisfying and the new model of HD280 Pro uses circular ear cups. The headband and the ear cups are also very plush but they don’t look durable by any means. The headphone can be easily folded for portability reasons and is also available with the Gator case, although the cable is not detachable.

The sound signature of these headphones is very transparent as expected, as they are marketed as reference headphones. The whole audible frequency range feels very accurate and balanced. The noise isolation of these headphones is also among the best in the whole bunch.

Overall, these are a great alternative to the Sony MDR7506 and if you prefer over-ear design instead of the on-ear design, then you should get Sennheiser HD280 Pro instead of Sony MDR 7506.

Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones are one the best earphones by Beats and can greatly serve as DJ earphones. The design of the earphone is quite impressive with an ear clip on the top, which helps keep the earphones intact. The battery timing of these earphones is also much better than other earphones you will find in the market.

The sound quality of these earphones is not bad or distorted but the bass and highs are over-emphasized, which is not good for people who want to analyze various recordings and prefer an accurate, flat frequency response. Just like the Beats Studio3 Wireless, these earphones use Apple W1chip for seamless Bluetooth connectivity.

Overall, these DJ earphones are a great alternative to an on-ear or over-ear headphone if you want to have a wireless experience along with great comfort, although they might not be the perfect option for mixing music.

Buyer’s Guide

If you are a professional DJ, then most probably you do not need this guide but if you are just stepping into the realm of “DJ’ing”, then this guide might prove to be quite useful to you, as we will be discussing the most important factors you need to consider when buying a DJ headphone.

Acoustic Design

The acoustic design of a headphone matters a lot for a DJ and there are two types of designs mainly implemented in the headphones. The first is the open-back design and the second is the closed-back design. For DJs, closed-back design is preferable in most scenarios because a closed-back design provides noise isolation and also, it greatly diminishes the sound leakage issue. A closed-back design also enables higher volume levels and tighter bass levels, although an open-back headphone is capable of producing sound with more detail. The soundstage is better in the open-back design but some high-end closed-back headphones are capable of presenting great soundstage too. Therefore, your first priority should be to get a closed-back headphone, although you can go for high-end open-back headphones too.

Frequency Response

The frequency range is responsible for the sound signature of a headphone and therefore, greatly affects the output of the headphone. The frequency of a headphone is generally divided in the lows, mid-tones and the highs. The lows represent the bass levels while the highs represent the high pitch sounds i.e. treble levels. Some of the headphones provide brightened frequency response for certain frequency ranges, thus providing extra bass or treble. The frequency response, overall, serves as a customization for the sound signature and you can buy the headphone which is according to your own taste.

Durability

The durability is a great concern for DJs, as no one would want to go through broken headphones again and again. A lot of headphones provide a metallic frame for the headband, which provides extra protection against bending the headphone. Moreover, some of the headphones provide very durable ear pads while other’s last a few months before you notice wear and tear. The wire of the headphone also creates a lot of issues, especially towards the jack, as the jack undergoes a lot of force during application. Therefore, look out for a headphone with a strong headband and thick cable, which will ensure a long life.

Impedance

The impedance of the headphone is responsible for the resistance offered by the headphone and the higher the impedance is, the more amplification it will require to function at optimal potential. A high-end amplifier adds to the cost of overall setup, which is why you should definitely check the impedance of a headphone. Usually, headphones with impedance below 30-35 Ohms will not require amplification and you can use such headphones with even your smartphones, although you would definitely be using some type of amplification if you are entering the DJ business.

Comfort Levels

The parties go on for whole nights sometimes and you would not prefer a headphone which would tire you within a couple of hours. There are a few things which you should notice before considering to buy a headphone. The first thing on the list is the clamping force and the quality of ear pads. The higher the clamping force is, the more force you will feel on your head and that will tire you very soon. Similarly, the ear pads of a headphone can add to the overall comfort of the headphone, as certain headphones provide super soft ear pads while others prefer firm ones. Another thing that you should notice in a headphone is its weight. The weight of a headphone greatly affects the usability and you feel sleepy with the heavy headphones. Anything below 250 grams is considered light-weight while some of the headphones are as heavy as 400-500 grams.

Cost

A strange thing about DJ headphones is that the cost of the headphone actually matters. Not that it would have the obvious technical advantages over the cheaper headphones but the expensive headphones serve as the status of a DJ and the higher the cost of the headphone is, the more prominent your image will be in front of clients. Therefore, if you are going to buy a headphone once and for all, make sure that you spend enough money to be considered as a professional DJ.

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HeadphonesLab.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, HeadphonesLab.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.